Thor Vol 1 378
so that they can exploit his powers to boost their strength. Loki tries to fend them off, but soon realizes that his attempts to restore their original heights using Iceman's powers have actually driven them mad and Loki flees. Along the way, he happens upon the broken body of his half-brother Thor, recalling how Thor's battle with the Dark Elves left his body shattered and that Hela's curse prevents him from healing or dying, Loki teleports Thor in front of the Frost Giants, finding enjoyment in using his brothers body as a distraction. Loki enters the room where he's been forcing Iceman to use his powers and orders the mutant to stop for fear of being killed by the Frost Giants. Iceman refuses, and when Loki tries to blast him with magic, Bobby cranks up his powers full blast. This causes the Frost Giants in the other room to stop their battle and head toward the massive amounts of cold. Loki attempts to keep them at by by creating a massive fire ball that melts two of the Frost Giants, however the others manage to overpower him and pin him down. Thor revives and witnessing Loki's bravery at impossible odds and compares it to how he's had to flee the past few battles recently due to his curse. While he recognizes he has this cure, Thor realizes that Loki is a son of giants and carries himself out of the room. In the city of Asgard, in the palace, Balder is visited by Ularic who warns of a coming calamity that will threaten Asgard and the gods before passing out. Just then Heimdall enters the room with the immobilized form of the Enchantress. As he explains that the woman is becoming like stone, Heimdell experiences the same problem. Balder, feeling the same thing is happening to him wonders where Thor could be when Asgard needs him the most. Back at Loki's castle, the Frost Giants are about to kill Loki when Thor suddenly intervenes, bringing a wall crashing down on them, despite his injuries. He then drags the unconscious Loki into the next room and finds his secret weapon: Iceman. Recognizing his costume as a variation of the members of X-Factor he met previously and , he rouses the young mutant and learns that he is indeed a member of X-Factor. When Iceman tells him that Loki captured him with a strange device and forced him to use his ice powers to empower the Frost Giants, Thor recognizes the device from when Loki used it to bring the Absorbing Man to Asgard many years prior . In considering how to deal with Loki, Thor remembers how Loki helped save Asgard from Surtur and decides to consider his debt to him paid . Thor then uses the device that Loki used to bring Iceman to Asgard to pull some mystical armor created for him in a Pittsburgh steel mill so that he can operate at his full capacity despite his broken bones. With his armor arriving, Thor begins casting the spell needed to enchant them for his use. Elsewhere in Asgard, Sif, Hogun and Fandral are out with Volstagg's children and Mike and Kev when all the Asgardians present feel ill. When Sif collapses, they all return to Volstagg's home to find that Volstagg and Hildegund and the other children have become inert. Before Kev and Mike's astonished gaze, Hogun and Fandrall also fall to the mysterious illness striking Asgard. Finally, back at Loki's castle, the Frost Giants burst into the room where Loki and Iceman are passed out. They are then attacked by Thor in his new armor. The armor enhances Thor's strength and allows him to fight despite his broken bones and he easily fights off the Frost Giants. Although Thor is victorious, he feels no joy in the victory of his battle because it is the armor, not his own strength that helped win the battle. Meanwhile, out in the swirling winter the leader of the Frost Giants vows that they will get revenge against Loki and decides they should attack a different target, Loki's son: Jormungand, the Midgard Serpent. Although his minions find him mad, they agree to follow him on this insane mission of revenge. This story is continued next issue... | Appearing1 = Featured Characters: * Supporting Characters: * * * * * * * :* :* :* * * * * * * Antagonists: * * :* :* * :* Other Characters: * * Locations: * ** ** * , :* Items: * * Vehicles: * | Notes = | Trivia = | Recommended = | Links = }}